Shades of grey
by MadamaVolpe
Summary: Born into a world where humans and vampires are black and white, there is no room for the shades-of-grey hybrid Mizuki. Will she find peace at Cross Academy? Or will she be condemned by both sides? Is there a place for romance in the world of the damned?


_Author Note: Yep. I just had to do it. This little plot demon would not shut up! So, here it is. In this story, Kaname isn't Yuki's (sorry, girl!) and Zero doesnt have feelings for her. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: Anything you recognise isn't mine._

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><p>"It'll be alright, Mizuki. Just calm yourself, and please, stop playing with that hair of yours!"<p>

My hands dropped down to my sides instantly. I was nervous I couldn't help it. Rinchi just didn't understand. He was an _aristocrat_, so everything was fine for him. There he sat, his honey-blonde hair neat and perfect, without a stay lock out of place. My hair, on the other hand, was dishevelled and quite honestly frustrating. I tugged at my cherry-red curls again, much to Rinchi's annoyance. He leaned forward and for a moment I tensed, wondering if my blood had finally become too much of a temptation. I closed my eyes and prayed it would be quick.

"How much further, Kira-san?" He asked the driver. I relaxed, flopping back against my seat and thanking whatever deity was watching over me that I hadn't fallen prey to a hungry vampire. Yet.

"Not too far now, Rinchi-sama. And would you mind telling Mizuki-sama to please stop kicking my chair?" Rinchi shot me a look just as I was in mid leg-swing. I folded my legs underneath me and decided to look out of the window instead, to try and steel myself for what lay before me. Ah, we were nearly there. I was terrified. Not many things scared me. Level E's were easy to kill, no problem. Even vampire hunters I could deal with. But an academy filled with vampires and humans? Not so much. I would be hated by both sides, shunned by all. I was a freak; I didn't belong to either side, and yet I belonged to both at the same time.

"You should calm yourself, Mizuki-chan," Rinchi said softly against my ear, then kissed the skin slightly below, making me shiver. He let his lips linger slightly on the tender flesh of my neck, knowing how much I despised it. I froze, despite myself, and prayed for the second time that day that death would be swift.

Then he pulled back with a chuckle, and everything was fine again. He reached towards me and slid his finger through the silky strands of my hair. He smiled, showing me his beautiful ivory fangs. Teasing me.

"I am calm," I said after an age of staring at each other, waiting for the first to break. Of course it was me. It's always me. I'm always the weaker one. Rinchi knew this, and loved to remind me over and over about it.

"Hmm, if you say so."

"I do," I said, needing to have the last word. This earned me a low, condescending laugh from Rinchi.

The carriage suddenly came to an abrupt halt and I felt my stomach do flip-flops. What would greet me? A legion of bloodthirsty vampires, armed to kill me for my mixed blood. Or maybe humans, ready to condemn me for being one of moon children? I dreaded to find out.

Rinchi gently helped me out, being unusually kind, and I held my breath when my feet hit the snow-covered gravel. What I was met with wasn't a mob of thirsty vampires, like I'd expected, but two humans. Well, one human. A girl, with shoulder-length bronze hair and a smile that immediately put me at ease. The boy, the vampire, was…less enthusiastic. He had his hands dug deep into his jacket pockets to keep the sides down and he wore a frown like it was going out of fashion. He regarded me with his violet eyes, and I watched him with my own purple ones. His hair was light, almost sparkly, silver. He was unusual looking and he glowered went he caught me staring.

Thankfully, Rinchi saved me by stepping forward and tipping his top-hat politely to both humans. The girl bowed with a friendly smile but the boy merely frowned harder. I decided that I didn't like that. At all. I mean yes, Rinchi at times could be unbelievably irritating at times, but he was being polite this time!

" Kon'nichiwa! Welcome to Cross Academy! I'm Yuki Cross, and if you'll come with me then I'll show you to the Headmaster's office."

Rinchi chose that point to exclaim that he was leaving. Catching my terrified look, he bent down to my level and whispered in my ear. "I'll always come back for you, Mizuki-chan. One signal, and I'll be there." Sometimes I really didn't like him, but at that moment I was so glad that he was my bodyguard. I wouldn't have traded him for all the non-wise cracking bodyguards in all the world. I was glad for my father's over-protective streak for once.

I threw my arms around his neck and he made a small cry of surprise. I didn't care about our audience.

"Don't go, don't go, don't go," I whispered into his smooth skin. I felt him inhale sharply and knew that the scent of my was tempting him, hurting him. But I didn't pull back. I needed him.

"I have to, Mizuki. I'll visit, I promise. You know you have to do this for your father. Besides," his voice lowered to a whisper. "you're meeting your fiancé here, remember?"

I sighed and then nodded. It'd completely slipped my mind about the whole fiancé thing. I patted Rinchi one final time and he planted a gentle kiss on my cheek, though I could tell he wanted to kiss my lips. But that wasn't allowed. I wasn't allowed to 'fraternize' with anyone not a pureblood. It was my curse, one I was bound to carry forever. It was so awful. As a child, I had to have pureblood children _forced_ to come and play with me because father wouldn't allow anyone else near his precious daughter. Even then, we were constantly under surveillance so my 'friends' could barely play with properly for fear of hurting me and bringing down the wrath of my father.

Rinchi's hand slipped from mine and then he was gone without a backwards glance. I swallowed twice, trying to get away the shards of glass in my throat. Tears pricked my ears but I blinked them away furiously. I would not cry here. I refused. I would be the strong one for once. I would not be the frail little princess.

But when I glanced behind me and caught the silver-haired vampire's glower, I almost fell to my knees in tears. Instead, I held my head up high and fixed him with a poisonous glare of my own. He was surprised by my defiance, I could tell and I couldn't help but smile. Yuki looked from the boy to me and frowned."Um, if you'll follow me," she said softly, beckoning me. I followed her reluctantly, looking up at the huge, gothic building. My new home.

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><p><em>Mizuki's a bit melodramatic, isn't she? Must be all the weird blood. XD Oh! Mizuki means 'beautiful moon' and Rinchi means 'cold blood' which I thought was appropriate. :P<em>

_Please read and review! Zero will give you a love bite if you do! Or Kaname! _


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